C'est l'enfer
by SoNotObsessed.okMaybeALittle
Summary: Lacy Montgomery is partnered w the infamous Jess Mariano on a school project. But what happens when she finds out things about jess's home life she never imagined and is sworn to secrecy? Can she keep the secret? Jess in middle school.
1. Partners?

Hi guys! So here's my first story, and I hope you all like it. I will probably write like a billion stories about Jess's childhood because I'm really interested in Jess as a kid and I like to think that this is how his life was, why he was such a jerk when he got to stars hollow.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything that you recognize nor would I ever claim that I did… way to much responsibility for my liking

Chapter 1 

Partners?!?

Lacey muttered angrily to herself as she stepped in a huff onto the bus. Her older brother had turned off her alarm clock that morning so she had woken up late, hadn't had enough time to grab a banana much less curl her hair and had barely got out the door in time to catch the God forsaken bus filled to the brim with rowdy

middle-schoolers. She plopped herself down into the empty seat next to her best friend, Jenna who looked at her knowingly.

"Your brother turn off your alarm clock again?" She asked scribbling some random numbers into her math book so that it would be "done" for class that morning. Too disoriented to form words, Lacey merely nodded and rolled her eyes. Her annoying brother, Drew, found a sick kind of humor in spontaneously turning off her alarm clock and watching her run, completely stressed, around the house, frantically trying to get ready. Idiot. " I would totally hate him if he weren't so hot." Jenna said, trying her best to console her best friends but failing miserably. It was no secret that every girl in the eighth grade thought that Drew was one of the most gorgeous creatures on the planet and Jenna was no different. The thought of girls fawning over her baboon of a brother made Lacey absolutely sick though, what did they possibly see in him? Him and…

The bus pulled up in front of the 16th street stop and on he stepped. Every girl on the bus stopped, mid conversation and gazed over at him blinking seductively, taking advantage of the rare occasion that he actually was up early enough to catch the bus. All the boys looked at him with a mixture of idolization and jealousy as he waltzed sluggishly to the back of the bus and took the hastily vacated seat of one of the more nerdy students in the grade, grabbed a book from his back pocket, and began avidly reading, not making eye contact with anyone on the way. Lacey rolled her eyes again, not understanding how I-wear-leather-in-the-100-degree-heat-Jess-Mariano could have that effect on every room that he stepped in. She just didn't get how that, for lack of a better word, student could possibly be the most popular guy in school when he wasn't even at school most days. The day was already bad enough, but having to spend the day in the same building as Jess Mariano just made it ten times worse.

!#$&()++)(&$#!

Lacey raced through the hallway, almost late for the second time that day. She'd had to stay after class to talk with Mrs. Lewis, the math teacher, about her steadily falling grades in that class but had been denied a pass since, apparently, she had to learn a sense of time management and discipline. She stopped at her locker and tried to speed-open it, fumbling with the lock and stuffing her books in. She cringed as she heard the loud ringing of the bell overhead and knew that she would be getting a mouthful from Mr. Dragio, the strictest teacher in the grade for being late to his class. Scowling, Lacey slammed her locker shut and sped down the hall to the English room swearing under her breath at the closed door that stood there, mocking her impending doom. Closing her eyes and preparing for the worst, she pulled open the door and looked around the class nervously. Jeez, she was even later than Jess, this was bad.

" Miss Montgomery, glad to see you could make it." Mr. Dragio said sternly giving her a fierce look. " And, what a pity, it seems that the only other partner for you to have for the semester project is Mr. Mariano here, but, you'll be perfect for each other wont you? You did both come late…" But Lacey wasn't listening anymore. This couldn't be happening, she couldn't be partners with, with… with JESS MARIANO! She was a straight A student and hardly ever did anything wrong, she couldn't be partnered with the student who, if looks could kill, would probably be thrown in jail for murder by now. Not that that would be such a bad thing, it would relieve her of having to work with him n a project that counted for half their grade, Jess killing her… Oh God, she was going to die.

Ok so there you have it, the first chapter… I hope you all liked it and now guess what time it is? Yep that's right time to review, please please please review, I'm begging… Ok no I'm not but a review would be greatly appreciated!


	2. Time to Talk

OK, here's chapter 2 and I'll try to make it a little longer because I hate short chapters personally. Also, Rory is probably not going to be in this story, but it is not a Jess romance with someone besides her. I am a one hundred percent hard core Literati Fan; I just am even more obsessed with Jess so here goes…

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. Nope. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Chapter 2 

Time to Talk

Lacey glared into her pudding as Jenna rambled on about some random boy who had walked her to her locker. Everyone she had complained to seemed almost jealous that she was partnered with Jess. If they were all so anxious to be with him why didn't any of them pick him in the first place? Why was she the one stuck with him? The cafeteria became silent as the door swung open to reveal none other than, speak of the devil, the devil himself, reincarnated into the human form of Jess Mariano. He wore the same thing that he wore every day, baggyish pants with a long sleeve shirt, a book that seemed to have been read about a million times (and it probably had been) stuffed into his back pocket. His hair looked like it had been styled in the midst of a tornado and a smirk hung on his crooked lips that were just dying to give some smart alack remark when the next opportunity arose. He sat down, again alone, at a table in the corner of the room and pulled out the book his eyes beginning to zip from word to word.

Lacey got up, leaving Jenna mid sentence and carried her tray over to the practically vacant table the person she least wanted to talk to occupied. She placed her tray down on the table and sat down across from him, an expectant look on her face. Jess continued to read, seemingly unfazed by her most abnormal visit to his oh so sacred table so Lacey loudly cleared her throat causing the young delinquent to finally look up.

" What?" He asked her, obviously annoyed at her for interrupting his reading. Lacey took a deep breath and readied herself for the oncoming sarcastic remarks and created a mild look on her face. She needed to look just as disinterested as him.

" I wanted to discuss the project with you. I mean I know it's like 'your thing' to not do anything, but this project counts for over half of our grade and, though I don't really care whether or not you fall off the face of the earth, you're not dragging me along with you." She paused to look at Jess's face but it was still a, never even flinching, uninterested façade. She continued, nervously tapping her foot on the floor " So, we're going to need to hook up or something... I mean, your never at school so we have to work on it sometime. We could maybe switch homes or something or--" But Lacey had stopped talking, because Jess's face had actually shown emotion. When she'd said that they could switch houses, his eyes had practically bugged out of his head and his mouth had opened in protest, obviously not working at his place was non-negotiable. " Or...not" She finished awkwardly, chewing nervously at her finger nails.

" We only work at your place. Mine is undergoing some...construction."

"Oh" The bell rang noisily above them and Jess scrambled out of the Cafeteria like a bat outa hell calling out that he would be at her house tomorrow after school even if he wasn't actually at school that day. Clearing her place, Lacey walked slowly to the trash can to dump out her barely eaten lunch tray in a sort of trance. Jess Mariano would be coming to her house tomorrow. Her worst nightmare was going to come knocking at her door. How uncomfortable the impromptu meeting would no doubt be was at the top of her list of worries. Lacey's mom felt that it was her calling to bake every sweet under the sun and spoil every single one of her "cute little friends" but she had never brought a boy home before, and, even if he was just coming over to work on a school project, it was an understatement to say that her parents would overreact about it and look way too much into it, they over-thought everything. She could just imagine the discussion that would no doubt take place at the enormous ding room table that coming night. Oh joy.

!#$&()++)(&$#!

" I'm home!" Lacey called into the huge front hall of her family's manor. Her parents owned an important law firm in Northern New York and therefore had loads of money, but since they had both started at the bottom, they wanted their children to get the taste of 'the normal New Yorker's life ' so they had enrolled them in public schooling. Throwing her book bag on the floor, she made her way into the kitchen and grabbed a granola bar and a soda. After eating practically nothing all day, she was absolutely starving.

" Hey honey, is that you?" Her mom called from the front parlor. Lacey called back the affirmative and got up from the stool that she had been sitting on. She might as well tell her mother first. Maybe if she was able to convince her that it was no big deal, then her mom could help in persuading her dad to believe the same thing. she opened the door to the parlor to find her beautiful mother pouring over her law book. Lacey never could see what her mother found so interesting in those law books, but she didn't really like reading anything so her opinion was probably not dependable. " Hey babe" Her mom said looking up from her copy of _The Advanced Law Theory_ " You have an OK day at school?" She asked.

" It was OK, I guess." her mom gave her a look that clearly stated that she should elaborate and Lacey reluctantly complied. " Well, you see I was kind of late for English today and Mr. Dragio was assigning partners for the big project, you know, the one that Drew did when he was in eighth grade, the one where you have to write a chapter book or a newspaper or something. Remember?" Her mother nodded remembering the yelling matches that had gone on between Drew and his father when he was to lazy to do his homework. "So...yeah, but since I came late, there was only one other person for me to be partners with so I was stuck with Jess Mariano." Lacey guessed that she probably shouldn't have expected a big display of hatred and defiance from her mother seeing as she had no idea whatsoever of who Jess Mariano was, and besides Jess was a girls name too. "But, since Jess doesn't really show up for school all that much, we're gunna have to do most of the work at home and since his house--"

"His?"

" Yeah, his house is under repair or something, he's going to have to come over here tomorrow and probably pretty often in order to get this done..." Her mom's face had adapted a weird pinched look as she contemplated what to say about her daughter's coming rendez-vous with a mysterious boy. At her house no less.

" Why doesn't he go to school very often?" Lacey took a deep breath and thought hard about how to answer that delicate question.

" Ummm, well I'm not really sure, we all know that his dad went away a little after he was born and his mom really doesn't care so he just comes to school enough not to fail. No more no less." Her mom's face tightened a little bit more but Lacey could see the obvious pity in her eyes, her mother felt sorry for anyone with a sob story. Funny, though, she couldn't imagine feeling sorry for Jess, but hey, her mother hadn't been exposed to him yet, her pity would definitely turn to hate after 5 seconds of being in a room with him. "Remember though, Mom, I'm being forced against my own free will to do this. I will not, have not, and could not ever find any pleasure in spending any allotted amount of time with Jess Mariano." Her mom looked thoughtful for a second and then smiled.

"OK then, I'm going to go make some cookies for him. We can't let him starve, now can we?" And with that her mother left the room and Lacey rolled her eyes at the retreating footsteps echoing in the hall. Her mother was never going to change. Now came the worst part though, her father.

!#$&()++)(&$#!

" Jess Mariano?!" Drew asked again, his face full of surprise and amusement. " You're going to spend the afternoon with Jess Mariano?" Lacey sighed, pocking her mashed potatoes around the plate, forming a kind of fort thing for her peas. She had announced to her dad and brother her plans for the following night and Drew was having a field day with it.

" Yes, _Drew,_ we have to work on an English project." Drew burst out laughing, the thought of Jess working seemed to be too much for him.

" I'm sorry, is this the same Jess that stole from the high school lunch account, charity drive _and_ bake sale all within a month?" He asked biting back the laughter.

" What?" Their mom asked, obviously not finding this new piece of info quite as amusing as Lacey's older brother.

" Nothing" Lacey replied hastily, best avoid talking about Jess's problems with stealing, lying, playing hookey, or the various times he had been caught smoking on school grounds. It really was a wonder he wasn't kicked out yet. Key word-yet.

" Lacey is this boy really someone you should hanging out with, he seems kind of dangerous, a bad influence."

" Dad, I'm not hanging out with him, I'm sitting and writing an English project with him. Nothing more."

" I don't know..." Her dad's face was growing redder by the minute and Lacey knew that unless she said something to stick up for Jess and calm him down, he was going to blow.

" He's a really good student now Dad, he hasn't gotten in trouble for months." Drew practically spit out his milk at this but Lacey continued giving him a _keep your mouth shut or I'm telling them about the DUI ticket you got last month _look. " He was just going through a faze, you know how boy's are, just trying to be rebellious is all... he's over it now though. Totally polite and chivalrous and everything." That last part might have gone a little overboard, bu she was going to do well on this project, even if it meant creating a civilized Jess.

" Well, I would like to meet him at some point, ok?" Lacey nodded throwing Drew a look because of the laughter begging to come out of him. " And tell him I say hi, kay?" Again she nodded not believing her good fortune, or that her dad had believed her colossal lie. Lacey took another bite of her mashed potatoes and smiled at her dad. Tomorrow was going to be a _very _long day.

So, there it is. The second chapter and i would be really really really happy if you reviewed, even if you only write on word. Even if you didn't like it, just PLEASE review! Thanks :)


	3. One way studying

OK guys, heres chapter three, where the mystery of what's Jess's problem starts up... So I hope you like my story and just so you know, every single review I get makes me really happy cause you guys actually like my story- hint, hint- but, enough yapping, here's chapter three.

Disclaimer: I.Do.NOT.Own.Gilmore.Girls. There, I said it, with great difficulty, yeah, but I said it...

Chapter 3

One Way Studying

Lacey sat on the school bus already dreading the amount of homework she would have to complete in the limited of time she would have before Jess got to her house. She was dreading that too...Jess coming to her house. She couldn't allow herself believe the lie she'd had to tell her parents to have him come over was going to stand through the night. Jess was a jerk and he was going to act like a jerk when he got to her house (a/n; I LOVE jess, this is just what _Lacey_ thinks of him). Pulling out her English notes to see if she could get very far on them before she even got to her house, Lacey jumped when she felt someone tapping her shoulder. Thinking it was Jenna, Lacey told her that she really didn't have enough time to talk right now if she wanted to get everything done before Jess arrived.

"Too late." A smug voice responded. A voice that Lacey hadn't counted on hearing until much later at night. A voice that Lacey really rather never hear. A voice that made her freeze and then look up in astonishment at the face of Jess Mariano.

" Jess I-- I was-- What are you doing here?" She asked, unable to hide the confusion in her voice.

"I was bored at home so I decided to come to your house a little earlier."

"Jess, I don't know how my parents would feel if I was all alone in the house with you."

"Huh" He said disinterested.

"I mean they didn't even really want you to come over in the first place so, by coming early, you'd probably be pushing your luck 'cause--"

"This is your stop isn't it?" Lacey looked at the house they were currently in front of and scowled. It was her house. She knew Jess probably wouldn't come back later if she sent him home now and that meant she was not only going to be spending the whole night with Jess, but also the rest of the afternoon.

Brilliant.

Grabbing her back pack Lacey angrily made her way to the front of the bus with a more forlorn Jess trailing after her. Stepping onto the freshly fallen snow she stalked up to the front door and jammed her key into the lock. She shouldn't have to be with Jess for that long, her mom would be coming home from work in like, thirty minutes and counting. Only thirty minutes, then she would be fine. She dropped her books in the front hall as she made her way to the kitchen but stopped when she noticed Jess wasn't following her. Instead, he was standing in the front room, looking in... was that amazement or disgust?, at her house.

"Is there a problem?" Lacey asked him pointedly. That seemed to snap him out of it.

"No"

"Then why are you looking at my house like it's the White House?"

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No I'm _not_." Wait a second. What were they, five?

"Fine. Whatever. Do you want something to eat or drink or anything?" Jess shook his head so she poured herself a glass of milk and readied herself for the oncoming fight. "Um, Jess?" She looked over at him, but he was looking at all of the pictures on the refrigerator. "Jess." she said a little louder. His head snapped up and his eyes met hers. She had never noticed how brown his eyes were.

Wow.

Lacey took a breath. "Umm... well, you see, my parents didn't really want you to come here because they thought that you'd be a bad influence on me but, you know, the project is really big and I want to get a good grade and in order to do that, you would have to come over." She looked over at Jess to make sure he was still listening.

He was.

"I had to tell them something that would make them a little less...nervous about letting you come...so I told them that your whole 'the world can kiss my ass' bit was all a phase that was over. That now you were a...gentleman." A smirk was making its way into Jess's face, he knew what she wanted him to do. "Please?"

"S'cuse me?"

"Could you please be polite tonight, when your around my parents at least?"

"Gee Lacey, I don't know, I don't think I've ever been _polite_ before, I might mess it up... I think I'll just stick with what I know." Jess said. Lacey couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or not.

"Jess I swear if you mess up this project for me I'll..."

"You'll what?"

"Jess..."

"No, seriously, I want to know." Lacey put her hand up and massaged the bridge of her nose.

"Your impossible."

"I've been told that before."

"I'm not surprised."

"Lacey I'm home!" Her mom called from the den. Lacey shot Jess a pleading look and made her way up to the parlor, Jess treading after her.

"Hi Mom." She said as she stepped into the parlor. Her mom looked up from her book, her eyes falling on the dark shadow of Jess behind her. "Oh, um, Mom, I'd like you to meet Jess Mariano, he came a little early." Her mom got up from her desk and made her way over to Jess holding out her hand for him to shake. Jess hesitantly stuck his hand out pulling the edge of his sleeve down in the process. Weird.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Jess." Her mom said. Jess just nodded awkwardly.Wow, he really was bad at being polite.

"Um, OK, well we're going to go start studying. C'mon Jess." Grabbing her books, Lacey walked to the stairs and slowly made her way to the door at the end of the hallway. Her room wasn't extremely big but it wasn't too small either. A large, queen sized bed sat against the south wall with a large mirror, desk, and bookshelf (though not many books were on it) took up the space of the wall opposite. Her two dressers were situated on the two walls left and her walls were painted blue with multicolored polka dots covering them. Posters, trinkets, and trophies took up the rest of the room.

Lacey dumped her backpack on the bed and, taking out her English notes, sat on the rug in the middle of the floor. Jess walked in and sat down next to her. Well, not really sat, more like _lounged_. God, could he do nothing wrong "OK" she started "For the project, I was thinking that we could maybe write a children's book of some sort or...not." The look on Jess's face definitely declined to that proposition.

"Whatever." He said, picking at the corner of the rug.

"Fine... any ideas for a plot?" Stupid question. He'd probably want to write about kittens dying or something. Jess just shrugged. "Fine...Are you going to contribute at all to this project Jess? I already told you I'm not doing all of the work." Again he just shrugged. This was getting annoying. "Jess--"

"This book is really interesting" Lacey looked up to find Jess pouring over a rather thick book.

"What book is that?" She asked. It looked familiar but it definitely was not her's.

"Defensive Law Theory" He answered, still engrossed in the book.

"That's my mom's book." Finally Jess looked up.

"I know."

"You stole my mom's book?"

"No, I just borrowed it."

"Jess! You stole my mom's book!" That was just going too far. "That's it, we're not working at my house anymore. Not if your going to steal things. Next time we're working at your house--"

"NO!" The sudden intensity of Jess kind of scared Lacey but it was gone in half a second. "We have construction...It's dangerous." He said weakly.

"Listen, I don't care if you have no roof because of the construction. Your probably better behaved there and I need you to concentrate. I will even go running to your mom if you want..."

"Don't." Jess's eyes were pleading with her. This was strange, she'd never sen him this way before.

"Well, if it's only construction Jess then-"

"It's not just construction. We. Can't.Work. There."

"Why?"

"Because, OK. It _is _dangerous." The pain showed in Jess's eyes. Whatever was happening at his house was hurting him.

"Fine but Jess-"

"You know what, I'm really hungry. Are we eating here?"

"Tell me what's going on Jess, you can trust me."

"Yes or no because, if not, I should probably get going..."

"I will get to the bottom of this Jess." Green met blue and the intensity of Jess's eyes blew Lacey away.

"Don't." He said shortly. "Promise me you won't"

"But Jess--"

"Promise me." She could see everything then. The pain, the worry, the pleading. She could at least tell him that she wouldn't look into it. I mean, he lied all the time. It was time for him to get a taste of his own medicine.

"Fine. I promise I won' look into it." His relief was evident in his features. "Now give me my mom's book." Jess handed her the thick book and grabbed his coat.

"I should get going."

"You could eat dinner here if you like." Lacey said. Maybe he would slip, but Jess shook his head.

"I'll just order pizza or something." He said as he made his way to the front door and left. No goodbye, not even a wave. Shutting the door, Lacey stood staring at the large portrait of her "perfect family" thinking about Jess. Whatever his problem was, she was going to figure it out. Even if she didn't like him, which, she didn't, right? She was Lacey Montgomery, she could not be falling for Jess Mariano. Or could she?

Ok so there is chapter three. Do you like it??? Please tell me, I really like to know whether you like it or if it really stinks. Also, If you have any ideas on what Jess and Lacey should do for their project please tell me because I have no idea. OK so yup, that's about it. Happy holidays everyone!

Plz review!


	4. Newest Rebel

Thank you to everybody that reviewed, i am sooooo appreciative of every single review so ...THANKS! also, sorry it took me sooo long to update, I'm usually faster, I've just been swamped so yeah, i'll try to be better...

Disclaimer- i now own the Gilmore girls series box set, but, after watching the entire 3rd season, in like,two straight days, I have yet to see my name in the credits of the show listed under "owned by" so, 'nuff said.

Chapter 4

Newest Rebel

Jess hadn't been at school for the last three days and Lacey was starting to get worried. This kind of freaked her out, being worried about Jess seeing as she was supposed to hate him and he hardly ever cam to school anyway so the whole worrying thing was kind of pointless... She was still worried anyway though. Especially after that conversation they had had on the phone the other day.

_Lacey nervously dialed the number, hoping that it wasn't disconnected or something. She had never had the necessity to call Jess before and she knew this phone call would just be awkward and uncomfortable for the both of them. The ringing on the other line almost made her jump in surprise and slam the phone down. What was her problem? _

_"What?" Lacey heard the annoyed voice of Jess fire into the phone. She was suddenly at a loss for words upon hearing his peeved voice. "Hello?" he asked again. _

_"Um, Jess?" Lacey asked, her voice small. _

_"Lacey?"_

_"Yeah. Um I was calling because you weren't in school today and I just wanted to make sure you were still coming over here to work on the project."_

_"I can't" Jess stated_

_"What? Why not?"_

_"I just have some...stuff going on and I don't have time to come over to your place." Lacey could hear someone talking in the background and then Jess mumbling a reply._

_"Jess, I already told you I'm not doing all of the--"_

_"I just can't come over tonight. Alright?" The voice in the background was getting louder and Lacey could make out a couple words. "Listen, I've got to go. I'll call you when I can come over again." And with that, the line went dead. _

Lacey would not allow herself to be put behind because Jess insisted on staying home and not getting any work done. She was going to get to the bottom of this. Later that night, if jess still hadn't called, Lacey would sneak out to his place and talk to him face to face Who cared what was happening at his house, she was sure she could handle it. It probably wasn't that big of deal anyway. In fact, it was probably something embarrassing. So embarrassing that if anyone found out, then it would probably ruin his whole "bad boy" image. That was probably why he was being so secretive, I mean nothing truly bad was happening to Jess Mariano. Right?

Taking out her English notes, Lacey started working on the project begrudgingly. Stupid Jess and his "construction" he needed to just be a man and get over it. Her mom called from downstairs telling her to come to dinner. Leaving the project she was sure was never to be finished on the floor, Lacey headed to the dining room promising herself that that night, she was going to Jess's house. She was getting to the bottom of this.

!#$&()+)(&$#!

After checking her bag for the fourth time to make sure everything was there, Lacey silently slid open her window. It was a weird kind of rush to be sneaking out of the house like this but also kind of scary. She had never done anything like this before. Sure, she'd covered for her brother the several times in the past, but she'd never been the one that needed covering. In other words, this was BIG. Slowly, Lacey made her way to the huge oak tree on the side of the house. In kindergarten, Lacey's teacher had told all of the students to come up with an escape route from their house if there was a fire. The four year old Lacey had decided that the large oak tree would be her's. She'd practiced several times trying to get successfully down the tree but was banned from trying again after she fell out of it and broke her leg. Hopefully, since ten years had passed, she would be able to be successful.

Hopefully.

Grabbing on to one of the bigger branches, Lacey stealthily swung herself on to the thick trunk if the tree. Then, realizing it was only about two and a half feet from the ground jumped landing in a heap on the wet grass of her front yard, not a scratch on her. Huh, it was a lot harder when she was four. Taking out her flash light, the page from the phone book with Jess's address she had ripped out, and some maps she had printed out, Lacey started her trek to Jess's place.

She had never been to the more dicey parts of New York where Jess's house was apparently located so she really had no idea what to expect. She was actually rather nervous about going to Jess's neighborhood since it was probably littered with sex offenders and gangsters and she was not very good at looking like she fit somewhere like that. She remembered her brother's advice to keep her head down, look nonchalant, not show her long _girl _hair, and make it seem like she wasn't to be messed with.

Easy. Right?

Stuffing her hands into her pocket she turned the street and looked up. Here it was. Jess's street. Jess's apartment somewhere inside. Jess's world.

_Well, here goes nothing,_ Lacey thought as she turned up the street looking for his apartment. She had told herself that she was going to get to the bottom of this and now, here she was, at the bottom, and she wasn't particularly liking the view.

OK so there is the next chapter and i hope you liked it. So now its your turn to write something. Thats right, just click the button. You know you want to...please? I'll try to update soon, promise.


	5. So This is the Bottom

Thanks for all the reviews guys, I'm glad that you all like it! So this chapter is REALLY angsty cause we find out some of Jess's not so faries and stardust life. I truly think that he had to go through somehting like this, it would definitely explain his attitude...not that I have anything against his attitude, I actually think it's his best attribute... but, that's beside the point...

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. My name is only ten letters long and does NOT rhyme with "Hey! The merman Sal Madino." Humph.

Chapter 5

So _This_ is Bottom...

Lacey walked up to the grundgy looking appartment building wrinkling her nose in disgust. She wasn't exactly stuck up or anything, but she had never been in this part of New York and, compared to were she lived, this was no palace... no wonder Jess had been so amazed at her house. She opened the door and looked around, taking in her surroundings. There was a couple passed out in the corner and the, what she assumed to be, night manager was snoring loudly at his small desk. She didn't see an elevator anywhere so she was thankful that Jess's appartment was only on the second floor. Lacey wasn't much for stairs, or running...or really excersize in any way shape or form. The stairs were creaky and a scary looking man sat smoking on one of them, his unshaven face broke into a very distubing smile as she hurried past. Jeez, how could Jess come home to this everyday?

She walked down the cramped hallway littered with old flyers and trash. Some of the doors were open and the apartments inside looked like they were falling apart. Broken bottles lay on the floor and grime layered on the walls and counters. Did Jess's apartment look like that? Is that how he lived? Lacey was having trouble spending ten minutes in this building, how could anyone _live_ there? The floorboard squeeked loudly making Lacey jump slightly. Jeez, what was here problem? It's not like she had to be sneeky, she was only going to visit Jess... at his house... that she had promised him she wouldn't go to. No big deal, right?

Spotting apartment number 28-Jess's apartment- at the end of the hall, Lacey hurried to get there and get out of the building as soon as possible, but stopped ubrubtly when he heard the loud yelling from behind the door. Someone, a male, was VERY mad, or just had an etreemely loud voice.

"I TOLD YOU TO BE HOME BY 12:00!" She heard the voice yell. "WHERE WHERE YOU?"

"Out" Lacey heard Jess's voice reply and her breath caught. Sarcastic remarks were probably not the best way to respond to the aggravated voice she had heard earlier. Someone giggled loudly just inside the door and Lacey noticed that the door was opened a crack-the reason that she could hear everything so well. Trying her best to be silent, Lacey crept up to the door and looked in.

Standing, both in tense poses, were Jess and what she assumed to be his stepdad glaring at eachother. In a corner a woman, probably Jess's mom, sat with a beer bottle in her hand, giggling at the scene playing out in front of her. An old deteriorating couch stood in the middle of the room with a small TV sitting on a desk on the wall opposite of it. The room was connected to the "kitchen" which only had a stove and an old, crumbly, refrigerator. Farther into the appartment, down a short hallway was probably Jess and his parent's rooms, and a bathroom. Beer bottles were everywhere Lacey looked, along with cigaret butts and a couple used needles.

The man standing opposite Jess wasn't big per say, but he was definitelty bigger than the short, skinny teenager in front of him. The anger on his face was eveident and a large vain was throbbing on his forehead. His face was slowly gaining a purple tinge as he again spoke...or rather yelled. "DON'T YOU TALK BACK TO ME BOY, YOUR LUCKY I DON'T THROW YOU ACROSS THE ROOM FOR YOUR SMART ASS REMARKS!" Jess rolled his eyes and the big mans face grew another shade darker. The woman in the corner just kept giggling and taking swigs of beer, how she found this amusing, even wth a diluted mind, Lacey had no idea. "YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY YOU WORTHLESS KID?"

Jess sighed. "I'm leaving, don't expect to see me for the next few days." This last part was dircted to the woman in the corner and apparently that didn't go over well with the man in front of him because the large man pushed Jess to the floor. Lacey's eyes widened and she flinched at the sound of Jess's body slaming against the wooden floor.

"YOU RESPECT YOUR MOTHER LIKE SHE RESPECTS YOU!" The man roared, kicking Jess in the gut.

"Oh yeah, theres a lot of respect circulating this house, we're a regular Leave it to Beaver bunch here." Jess responded sarcastically yet calmly, though his voice was a little strained from pain. Was he trying to get himself killed?

"THAT'S IT!" The man yelled. "YOU ASKED FOR IT BOY!" Then he lifted Jess effortlessly off of the floor and turnded him around so that his arms were being held behind him by the man. He continued screaming a stream of cuss's and other obseinities into Jess's ear but Lacey wasn't listening anymore. As Jess had been forced to turn, his eyes had wandered longingly towards the door and for a half a second had made contact with her own. He had seen her sitting, spying on him in his own home. Lacey could feel the heat on her face as she heard Jess scream that he was leaving, once again being shoved. Panic laced Lacey's thoughts. Though they had made eye contact, Jess didn't necessarily know that it had been her outside his door, all she needed was a hiding place. Spotting a disgusting chair sitting amidst some trash bags a couple feet away, Lacey scrambled for cover as the yelling continued.

The chair smelled absolutely repulsive and Lacey wandered what had happened to it... but with deeper thought,decided that no, she did_ not_ want to know. More yelling filtered into the hallway and Lacey closed her eyes, not wanting to have to witness anymore. It was absolutely horrible, and sick, and no one, not even Jess, deserved what was going on in that room at that very moment. A final echoeing slap and sickening crash marked the end of the confrontation as the door she had just been sitting in front of swung open and and then slammed shut. Lacey heard footsteps coming closer and closer to her hiding spot and finally stop about a foot away from her face.

"You can come out now Lacey." She heard the resigned voice of Jess say and her eyes popped open. Oh crap.

So much for being sneeky.

!#$&()(&$#!

**Alright so there is the very intense chapter 5. Please tell me what you thought of it, I really like to know what you guys think!**


	6. Sworn to Secrecy

Hey everyone. I'm glad that you all like the last chapter, I was very nervous that you wouldn't so it is a great relief that everyone who reviewed are still enjoying my story.Um, I don't really know if this chapter is quite up to snuff but, it's the best i could get it... Thanks for reviewing and on with the story...

Disclaimer- Things that I would buy if I owned GG... An itouch, Heroes on DVD, a puppy, another puppy, an architect to make my room bigger, a pig, a trip to every country in Europe, and a ton of other things. Do I own any of theses things? No. :(

Chapter 6

Sworn to Secrecy

Lacey gulped and slowly raised herself off of the ground, relieved that she didn't have to breath in the scent of the disgusting recliner any longer. She carefully avoided making eye contact with Jess, as he did the same thing with her. "How much did you see?" He mumbled, head tilted towards the floor.

"Enough." Lacey said quietly. Jess stuffed his hands in his pockets and asked Lacey to follow him him as he headed to the stairs and started walking up. Lacey followed up him all the way up to the roof, much to her dismay, where he turned abruptly and looked into her eyes intently. Lacey never could figure out how he could stare at someone so intensely, his coffee brown eyes boring into her plain hazel ones. Not fair.

"Listen Lacey..." He started, stopping to take a long breath. "What you saw in there... it was nothing, Ok. No big deal. So... you don't need to tell anybody alright, cause I've got it under control."

"Under control. Right." Lacey scoffed but then became serious. "Jess he hit you. We have to tell someone or it might get worse." Now it was Jess's turn to scoff.

"He wasn't even that bad. I've had worse." He said nonchalantly. Lacey's eyes widened.

"You dad's done this to you before?"

"He's _not_ my dad." Jess said fiercely. "I don't need a dad."

"Fine your step dad."

"He's not that either. He's just my mom's...recent." Lacey's eyebrows furrowed

"Recent what?"

"Anything, roommate, boyfriend..."sex buddy". Whatever Liz wants him to be."

"Liz?"

"Yeah, you know my, for lack of a better word, mom who does nothing but drink booze all day, when she's not passed out or with a guy that is..." Jess stuffed his hands and looked up at the sky. Lacey didn't understand how Jess couldn't have told someone about this, what else had he been subjected to in his childhood?

"Jess, I can tell my mom, she's a lawyer. She can help yo-"

"NO! No one can know about this Lacey." Jess said, suddenly frantic. "I need to stay here. Liz doesn't know how to take care of herself. She needs me to be there. Besides here is better than some foster home or random relatives house. I'm not week alright. I can take care of myself. I have for the past fourteen years and I can for the rest of my life."

"But Jess, this isn't life, this...this is hell! No one should have to go through this." Lacey cried, trying to reason with the raging boy standing in front of her.

"Jeez, Lacey. No one's life is perfect, alright. So what if how I live is less than ideal? Who gives a crap in_ New York City_? No one, that's who." Jess stated ferociously.

"I give a crap, Jess."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you give a crap, this time two weeks ago, it wouldn't matter to you, why does it matter now?"

"It would have mattered then too, Jess."

"Oh really." Jess said sarcastically.

"Of course." Lacey said. She would have cared, right? Even though she didn't like Jess, she wouldn't have wanted this to be happening to him.

"Whatever." Jess dismissed, but suddenly turning on her, totally sincere. Lacey was having trouble keeping up with all of his mood changes. "Please don't tell anyone Lacey." He said softly yet sternly. "Please." Lacey looked into Jess's eyes. She supposed that it really wasn't her secret to tell and he had had a bad enough night already without the overlooming fate of her telling someone haunting him. Making up her mind, Lacey sighed loudly.

"Fine." She relented. "But if it gets any worse, don't expect me to keep it quiet any longer." Jess visibly relaxed, his shoulders were not stiff anymore and his eyes uncreased.

"Good. Now I'll walk you home, someone like you shouldn't be out in the streets this late."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lacey asked. She had made it _there_ by herself hadn't she? "I am perfectly capable of walking back to my house all by myself, I'll have you know."

"Huh." Jess replied, still walking towards the stairway leading to the street. Rolling her eyes, Lacey trailed after him. Only when he turned around to smirk at her did she notice the bright red mark on his cheek. She had made the right decision...right?

!!!OOO!!!

There it is. Chapter six in all it's glory. Again, thank you for the reviews, and keep 'em coming (hint, hint)


	7. Someone's Feeling Distant Today

Okay guys I'm sorry it took me soooo long to update, but this week was just so long and my teachers gave me so much crap to do so I hardly had enough time to work but, finally i know, here is the next chapter where i hope everyone is in character. SO anyway, on with it...

Disclaimer- If I owned Gilmore girls, it probably would have gone about one episode and then i would have gotten bored with it so lets all thank god that I don't have that privilege...

Chapter 7

Someone's Feeling Distant Today

After Lacey's little midnight escapade, Jess didn't come back to school for several days. This worried Lacey immensely. What if he had been hurt badly. What if she could have been the deciding factor between if that injury could have been afflicted or not. She would stay up until the early hours of morning arguing with herself about whether she should tell her mom or dad or maybe just let her brother in on the secret. Or should she keep her promise and not tell anybody at all?

On the Wednesday that Jess was finally back in school Lacey didn't know what she'd been expecting but, whatever it, was it certainly wasn't what she got. Jess got onto the bus the same way he always did and didn't even acknowledge her presence. It was as if the night they had had four days prior had never happened, as if she was just another annoying kid that he was forced to go to school with. But she wasn't right? She knew his darkest and deepest secret so she should be someone worthy to earn Jess's attention. For at least a bus ride...right?

Taking a deep breath, Lacey stood up and made her way over to the partially vacant bus seat and sat down. Looking expectingly at Jess, as if he was going to finally say something to her, Lacey finally made a small cough into her hand. Jess glanced up form his book for about a half a second but didn't quickly went back to writing notes in the margin. "Jess." Lacey finally said. She was earning weird looks from everyone on the bus now and everyone was watching their conversation like it was the most interesting thing to happen since Brad Sampson and Alice Turner's break up in front of the entire student body a month ago. Whispers were erupting from the girl's mouths as they thought of new twists to the school's latest gossip. Lacey rolled her eyes. I mean it wasn't as if no one had ever chanced to sit with Jess before right... don't answer that. "Jess." She repeated. This was weird. They were friends now, weren't they? Or, at least, people who could talk to each other and know that the other person would respond.

"What." Jess spat, obviously annoyed. Had she just imagined four nights ago? His eyes still hadn't left his book but they weren't moving so Lacey took that as her cue to talk.

"Umm.. well.." She said, suddenly at a loss for words. " Are you coming over tonight?" Lacey finally asked weakly. Jess snorted, she took that as a yes. "Because, my... my dad wants to meet you and so you can stay for dinner. I got permission and both of my parents think it would be a good idea. My mom says she likes you..."

"Huh." Was all she got as a response so she continued talking aimlessly, realizing that she had been waiting for a chance to talk to Jess ever since Thursday night. Just talk him, know that he was still the same Jess that she had known before Thursday. That things wouldn't be weird between them. Slowly, she realized, she, Lacey Montgomery, was falling in love with Jess Mariano. A boy who, though he had been out with over half of the girls in the grade, had never shown any real interest in anybody. Especially her. This new relevation shut Lacey up faster than anything Jess could have said, finally catching Jess attention.

"What?" Jess asked looking behind him at the window that Lacey was staring out. Her face completely white. She didn't even know why she was freaking out so much. I mean half the girls in the school were in love with the mystery that was Jess Mariano, so it wasn't as if it was out of the ordinary that another follower had been added. But maybe that was it, Lacey thought. She had never been one to follow the "in" things before.She had always stuck to herself and went with what was unique and now, all because of a stupid project, she was becoming a follower. Just another luster of Jess Mariano, no one special. "Lacey, what is your deal?" Jess asked, standing up to exit the bus but not being able to because of the shocked girl blocking his exit. It was obvious he didn't really want an answer, he just wanted her to move so Lacey stood up and collected her bag, her books falling all over the floor in the act.

"Great." Lacey muttered. Jess shifted impatiently but still bent down to help her pick up her school supplies. Lacey thanked him, smiling, to which he rolled her eyes. "I'll see you after school then." Lacey said. Looking at her feet.

"Looking forward to it." Jess said sarcastically, finally pushing passed Lacey and exiting the bus. Lacey hurried to get off of the bus, certain that she was going to be late for her first hour, but for some reason it did't matter. All that mattered was Jess's retreating form in front of her and the fact that, as far as she could see, he had survived the weekend with that horrible man and his useless mother. That he was ok and that he would hopefully be ok for the rest of his time with his mom, because, if he wasn't, Lacey didn't know how she would be able to forgive herself. It would be all her fault. And she would hate herself for it.

ooooooooooooooooooo

There is chapter seven. whew. Ok so I'm thinking that I will answer reviews on my profile so that I can answer any questions or anything so tell me if you would like me to answer your review and I will answer it there. Also, to everyone who has given me suggestions, I will try to put them in somehow so if you would like to see something that would maybe make the plot thicker or more interesting and fits the story, tell me and I will try to add it in. Ok so i think that's it. ummm...oh yeah, if you have a good name for the son or daughter of Rory and Jess for me to use in a later (i won't tell you why), I would love some suggestions. Ok, that's it. Please read and review! Thanks!


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